Explosive cartridge.



PATBN'TED JUNE 7, 1904.

G.- GORNARA. -EXPLOSIVE CARTRIDGE. APPLIOTION FILED 11110.31, 1897.

2 sums-SHEET 1.

'No MODEL.

hue/Z614 fallin {n/Zara,

.Z'azeded/ of f @z W "g" Nirnn Srarns Patentes .rune '7, 1

' EXPLOSlVE CARTRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,229, dated June 7,f904. Application filed December 31, 1897. Serial No. 665,052. (Nomodel.)

o all whom I'fb may concern:

ject of the King of Italy. residing at Mantova, Italy, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Cartridges, (for whichI-have obtained patents inItaly, dated December 11,1896, and in FranceNo. 267,782, June 11, 1897,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is the substitution of products resultingfrom electrolysis for ordinary explosives. For this purpose I employ avessel into which I introduce one or more appropriate substances Which Isubmit to'the action of an electric current, which decomposes them,giving rise to products capable of recombining to reproduce the originalsubstances or produce new substances, liberating heat and causing anexplosion. Ordi# :narily the substance which 1 decompose by means ofelectrolysis is Water, which produces a compressed mixture of hydrogenand oxy gen, which is one of the most powerful explosives at presentknown. 'Iemploy a reser- 'voir capable of resisting the internalpressures which are produced. I introduce into this vessel an insulatedanode having a su'iiiciently large surface within the same. The walls ofthe reservoir preferably fulfil the oflice of a cathode. Water isintroduced into the reservoir, filling it either entirely or onlypartially, and this water contains in solution preferably either causticpotash or soda at live-percent. Although I do not limit my invention tothe employment of this electrolyte, (an aqueoussolution ofl an alkali,)I prefer to` use it,.be canse I am thereby enabled to construct thereservoir of a metal attackable by acids. The reservoir contents areexploded by means of a cagna fuse, or a metallic wire renderedincandescent by the passage of an electric current at the desiredmoment. The anode may also be arranged' in such a manner that theelectrelytic decomposition of the requisite quantity of water havingbeen effected the anode is left unsubmerged. By the continuance of thepassage of the electric current aspark passes between the anode andthecathode and the explosion is produced under the desired conditions. Onlyone hermetically-closed aper-I ture is necessary in addition to that forthe admission of the anode, 1n order to insure the tightness of theclosing ofv these two apertures, theymay both be covered by the water'to be decomposed.

In the accompanying drawings are represented',` by way of example only,some of the arrangements which I usually adopt.

Figure 1 is a section of a reservoir for blasting holes formed in rockof great resistance. Fig. 2 is a section of a reservoir vintended to beemployed as a projectile torpedo or the like or for introduction intoblasting-holes formed in rock of slight resisting power, and Fig. 3shows a modification.

Similar letters of reference designate in all the figures the partshaving the same functions; 1 i

Referring to Fig. 1, which. represents'a reservoir for blasting holesformed in rock of great resistance, the rock which it is desired`to'blow up itself assists the walls of the reservoir, which arerelatively thin, to resist the internal pressure which is developedprior to the ignition of the'charg'e. The reservoir is strengthened inthe direction of its longitudinal axis by means of a large tension-rodA,provided with a nut B. a indicates --the lateral wall of the reservoir,which bei'ngin electrical connectionwith a' sheet-iron cylinder cconstitutes therewith the cathode of the cur-4 rent for producingthedecomposition of the electrolyte in. charging the apparatus. b is theterminal of the cathode. .d is the terminal of the anode of the samecharging-current and is in electrical communication 'with the internalcylindrical surfaces c e. ff 'are insulating parts, preferably ofebonite. g g are copper parts serving either as `packing for insuringtightness of closing or as contacts for establishing electricalcommunication. la L represent the'terminal of the current causing theignition of the charge. i a' are gas-checks connectedwith therespectiveanodes. is a copper wirewhich when rendered incandescentcauses the ignition of the charge.

Referring tov Fig. 2, the configuration of the surface e of the anodeis. obtained by a its elasticity may be introduced by the open-v coppersheet bent spirally, whichl'owing to ing C.

explosion takes place immediately the level of the liquid falls belowthe points of the anode.f

' The dimensions of the anodes should preferably becalculated in such amanner that the v intensity of the'charging-current does not ex-v ceedseven amperes per 'square decimeter of Y surface. f x t The same currentmay be employed to` charge several reservoirs at once. All that v.isnecessary -is to insulate' all ofv them excepting .the last to establishcommunication between the anode of each reservoir and the cathode of thepreceding reservoir and to run to earth the last cathode orto connectitto the negativepolcof the source of :electrical en eray-l The elementsof the electrical'actionfresista'nce, intensity, electromotive force)un'-v dergo no 'variation during the ydecomposition ofthe Water in theclosed vessels. The du# ration1 of the electrolytic action and the data,which are known with regard to the current supplied to the apparatus,the superficies of Y I the anode and of the cathode, and with regard tothe quantity and the nature of the electrolyte. enable a computation of.the quantity of the v gases4 produced .and of the explosivej forcestored withinthe reservoir.

The advantagesl resulting vfromtlie employ-1 v ment of electrochemicalreservoirs' are, among others, the following: -an enormous explosivevforce, the possibility of utilizing the motive force available in minesand even 'at'times when it cannot be used for other purposes, the

absence' ,of-all. danger to the Workmen, the harmlessn'ess of`v theproducts and, nlally, the low cost. 'l

What I claim as my inventionisl'1. In an explosive cartridge, anelectrolytic cell Ahavingmetallic walls, said metallic walls v4forming acathode, anA alkaline solution'within I A said cell, an anodeextending'in said cell and lfree of the cathode and adapted inconnection of explosion,

. sition. y A l l In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

2. In an electrical cartridge, a metallic-cell forming a cathode, analkaline solution Within with the cathode to electrolyzesaid solution,`l -and means extending in acathode for exploding said electrolyticdecomposition.`

5.0,' In the arrangement illustrated in Fig'. 3 the said cathode, ananode :extending: in. the cathode and infconnection therewith adapted tovelectrolyze said solution thereby forming-an explosive mixture, and ametallic wire eX tending in said cell and 'adapted tojbe ren-- deredincandescentfor exploding said mi-i;-

ture, substantially. as described. 3. In an explosivec'artridge, anclectrolytic cell having metallic Walls forming'a' cathode,

an alkaline Solution Within thesaid cell, -an

anode extending inA said cell', andvfree of said. cathodeand adapted in'connectionwith the cathode to electrolyze said solution forming therebyan explsivemixture, said anode hav'n Vlng; as great Aa crosssect1on as'"possible-,fand

'ing said electrolyticdecomposition. 1 4. In'an'explosive cartridge, anelectrolytic cell Vforminga cathode, a-n alkaline solution Withinsaidcathode, an anode-.extending in and free of the cathode and adapted inconnection'with the cathode vto electrolyze 4said solution vformingthereby an explosive mixture, a. gas-check connected with the anode,

'means extending in the cathodeforexplod.-

and means extending .-in the cathode for cxuploding -said mixture.

5. In an explosive cartridge,an electrolytic :Y

cell having metallic walls forming a cathode,

an'alkaline solution within said cell, an anode extendingin said-celland free of the cathode and adapted'in connection with ,the cathodev toelectrolyz'e said solution, a gas-'check corinected to-theanode, and ametallic wire erf:- t'ending 1n said cell and renderedv incandes-GIOVANNI CORNARA.

Witnesses:

LORENZO GRETTEY, SANTE FINoo.

' cent for exploding. the electrolytic d ecompo-

